


Per Aspera Ad Astra

by JaqueDark



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Reality, F/M, Gen, M/M, Original Character(s), Tricksters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-25
Updated: 2012-07-01
Packaged: 2017-11-04 07:36:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/391364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaqueDark/pseuds/JaqueDark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean Winchester is tailspinning more than he ever did before. On a hunt something goes wrong; he gets whammied by a trickster but things aren't as bad as they appear. He's given a new life and finds that he still has some things to fight for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

It was far to damn quiet in the warehouse, especially one that was supposed to be housing a trickster or djinn! He'd been tracking it for months now and he still couldn't get a handle on what it was; all he knew was that it had caused a lot of trouble. No one else would go near it... but Dean, well he did jobs that other hunters feared to do.

"Come out you son of a bitch! I know you're in here!" he shouted, his voice echoed through the dark. Dean levelled his sawn off and prepared to be answered

"Oh Dean, Dean, Dean" came the male voice from somewhere behind him. He turned sharply and fired on instinct but as soon as he'd squeezed the trigger his shotgun turned into a bouquet of flowers "You should be careful, Dean! You almost shot me"

"That was the general idea you evil son of bitch" hissed Dean at the floppy haired teenage boy standing there like he owned the place

"Why? What did I ever do to you?" the kid smirked before turning left to right "Do you like the outfit? I'm wearing your brother Sammy aged fourteen"

Dean's grip tightened on the flowers, the rose thorns dug into his palm but he ignored it. He was going to rip this bastard's lungs out

"I'm going to hurt you so much you'll beg for me to kill you" growled Dean through clenched teeth, he thought about going for the large bowie knife he had in an ankle holster but decided against it. He was going to get this bastard tied down before he started cutting him up. The not-Sam walked forward as he stuck his hands in his pockets

"Do you really want to do that? Especially when I have a proposition for you?" said not-Sam

"Like I'm going to listen to anything you have to say"

"Not even a few minutes for your little brother? Do you really hate him that much for leaving you all alone?"

"You're not my brother! He was just a baby... you'd have to do better than that" Dean sneered; the temptation to knife this bastard was unreal. Not-Sam bowed his head as he sighed before he looked back up at the hunter

"You're right. I should do better and I can" he told him "You killed my sister. We tricksters tend to be male but there are a few females out there... my sister was wise beyond her years and I loved her. You killed her seven months ago"

"And you want me to apologise? Is that what all those freak accidents were? Your calling card?"

"Something like that" nodded not-Sam "I knew you'd come because no one else has nothing to loose like you do. All those other hunters have friends, maybe some family tucked away somewhere but you. You have nothing... you're all alone. Just like me"

"I am nothing like you!" roared Dean, temptation breaking in him. He pulled out the knife and jammed it into the tricksters chest; it wasn't how to kill a tricksters but it did make Dean feel better

"I think you are, more than you know. You've killed so many of my kind and not just tricksters... there have been other things that live in the dark that you've destroyed. You hunt and kill monsters, not even noticing that you're becoming the biggest, vilest monster you've ever faced. You live in the dark just as much as us Dean Winchester and despite you butchering my sister I've decided to do you a favour"

"You try anything and I'll break through it, when I do I'm coming back and ripping you apart with my bare hands"

"Yeah, right. Sure you are" chuckled not-Sam dryly as he closed the distance and pressed his hand to Dean's head "Goodbye Dean, have a nice life"

Dean's vision swam, the warehouse shifting violently as his felt like it was burning from the inside out. His skull felt like it was melting and he briefly thought that his number was up; the world disappeared suddenly leaving only a warm, peaceful darkness.

The first thing Dean Winchester was aware of in his new life was that this was the comfiest place he'd ever woken up in. The mattress was so soft and the duvet was warm wrapped around him; he pressed his face into the pillow as he tried to remember how he'd ended up here and who he'd gotten lucky with. It had been a while since he'd slept with someone... not since he'd lost Bobby. It still stung to think about that old surly hunter and how alone he'd been.

"Dadda?" he felt someone shaking him and he rolled over to see a three year old girl with scruffy slept on pigtails kneeling next to him "I wan frui loops!"

"Go away kid, I'm not your dad" he mumbled as he flopped back down and tried to go back to sleep.

"Daaaadda!" whined the little girl as she resumed shaking him "Pwease!"

"Alright, alright!" snapped Dean as he tossed the blankets back and tried to force himself into complete lucidity "Where are your parents? Why are you bothering me? Wait... why are you in my hotel room?"

"Papa wen ta work" she announced

"And he left you with me? Wait..." he looked around, this was too cosy and nicely decorated to be a hotel room. There was a piece of paper resting on the pillow next to him

_'Had to go to work early, give Emmie breakfast and I'll see you later for lunch. Cas x'_

Dean groaned loudly and ignored the niggling feeling that something was extremely wrong. He suspected that Emmie was the little kid bugging him and he wondered why her mother put so much trust in a complete stranger.

"C'mon, kid, let's go make you breakfast" he grumbled, she bounced on the bed then threw up her arms at him

"Piggy ride!" she demanded. He scowled but lifted her up and swung her onto his back; she was lucky that she was so small and so light.

It was definitely not a motel he'd woken up in; this place was huge with a large solid dark wood staircase leading down to a wide hallway with several dark oak doors. Whoever owned this place must be loaded out the butt, thought Dean as he made his way down the stairs and started picking doors to find the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mr Dean" someone greeted him once he finally found the right door. Emmie wriggled down from his back and scurried across the floor to the sturdy table lit up by early morning light. There was a brown haired man cooking breakfast at a built in island in the centre of the kitchen. Everything in the room was modern, stylish and screamed money

"Uhh morning" he replied as he scratched his stomach

"Breakfast will be ready soon, sir" nodded the man, he was dressed in a white uniform and made Dean feel a little uncomfortable "Emmie, do you want fruitloops?"

"Yahuh mista Gabriel" Emmie answered solemnly then broke out into gap toothed grin as Gabriel left the pan he'd been manning and poured her cereal out for her then helped her pour the milk.

"Do you know where this kids' mom is so I can get out of here?" Dean inquired but all he got back was a confused look

"Mr Dean? Emmie doesn't have a mom... and I thought you weren't going into work today. Mr Cas said you'd be taking her to the zoo" Gabriel told him. Great, thought Dean, I have to babysit the kid. I've never had to look after a kid my entire life!

"Sure, okay" he nodded as he sat down at the table opposite Emmie. She didn't seem that bad and she was kinda cute with her dirty blonde hair and big green eyes.

Only seconds after he'd sat down a plate was put in front of him with a very big, fancy breakfast and Dean looked up in time just to see Gabriel scurrying back to the stove "Thanks, man"

"It's my job, Mr Dean" grinned Gabriel who winked at Emmie "Miss Emmie... would you like me to make you and your dadda a picnic to take with you to the zoo?"

"Yesh pwease, mista Gabriel!" she cried as she bounced in her seat, waving her milky spoon excitedly

"You got it, princess" he replied before he started pulling extra items out of the wide steel fridge "Mr Dean, do you want me to tell Uriel to prepare the car or will you be driving today?"

"I uhh I'll be driving"

"Very good, sir. I'll tell him to put Miss Emmie's booster seat in your favourite car" Dean blinked. Favourite car? Meaning he had more than one to have a preference? How on earth did I land this gig? Whoever this Cas person is, thought Dean, she must be disgustingly rich!

He didn't have to clean away the dishes but as soon as Emmie was done with her cereal she planted herself in his lap to wait for him

"I wanna wear deh pink dress taday, dadda"

"Sure thing, princess" he replied easily as he read through the paper. Something was tugging at his mind but he couldn't quite figure out what it was yet; he remembered the motel and cleaning his guns for a hunt but after that it was vague and hazy. Dean knew it would come back to him, he didn't feel like he was in immediate danger unless Gabriel, Emmie and the as of yet unseen Uriel were demons or shapeshifters or ghouls.

Dean carried Emmie up the stairs on his back, she wriggled and bounced the whole way up the stairs. Her room was at the end of the hall and he walked past the one he'd woken up in and a bathroom that was bigger than the motel he'd booked into a couple of days ago. Getting the little girl dressed was a nightmare and a half leaving him to again wonder what crazy bitch left their daughter in his hands?

The garage was like one of his favourite dreams, there were so many American classics nestled up next to his baby and Dean almost started drooling at the thought of taking some of these babies for a drive.

"Dadda, can we's take deh impala ta deh zoo?" Emmie asked as she tugged on his sleeve

"Sure, princess, but you should really stop calling me dadda. My name's Dean" he told her as he strapped her into the booster seat

"Nah uh, dat's wot papa calls ya. You my dadda" she giggled as she kicked her legs. Dean rolled his eyes and slid into the driver's seat "Now taa deh zoo!"

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 

Emmie led the way, constantly pulling on his hand, she was entranced by the penguins and for the longest time Dean could remember he was having fun. He wasn't sure if he'd ever been to a zoo before; definitely not since he'd been a kid before his whole world was torn to shreds. Sammy had never been to the zoo... he'd never got past his first birthday. Dean pushed those thoughts aside, it was pointless to think about his little brother who'd been dead for over twenty years.

The little girl in the pink dress lasted until she'd seen the giraffes and had lunch and then she promptly fell asleep on Dean's legs drooling on the pocket. Dean carefully set her down on the blanket and packed the empty food wrappers and containers away before he picked her up and carried her and the basket back to his car. He was near the main gate when someone called his name

"Dean!" he looked up to see a brown haired man with expressive blue eyes, as soon as the man got close enough to see that Emmie was sleeping he lowered his voice "Sorry I missed the zoo, did she behave herself?"

"Yeah, she was good as gold" he replied trying to remember if he knew this guy; he hadn't been at the house but he clearly knew Dean and knew where to find him today

"Want me to take her?" asked the man. Dean went with his instincts, shook his head and held out the empty picnic basket instead. If by some unbelievable reason Emmie's mother had put her trust in him looking after her daughter then he wasn't going to hand her over to the first stranger he came across "We should do something special this weekend, there's a music festival that I know you'd love. We could leave Emmie with Gabriel and have a proper date; we haven't done that in a while"

"Date?" Dean swallowed nervously; who the hell was this guy?

They walked out into the lot and the man looked at Dean in surprise when he saw the impala sitting there

"Uriel didn't drive you?" he asked and Dean shook his head, he unlocked the car door but the man took Emmie from him and strapped her into the booster seat "She's worn out, I'm sorry I missed it. Did you take any photos? We can send them to my sister"

"Oh uhh no. I didn't think... I'm sorry" mumbled Dean. The man looked a little disappointed but shrugged it off

"Don't worry about it, as long as Emmie had a good time that's all that matters. I'll see you back at the house" said the man finally before he walked off toward an equally expensive car and drove off.

It didn't take Dean long to get back to 'the house', he was amazed that he could remember where it was to be honest. He parked the impala in the garage and carried Emmie inside; the blue eyed man was in the hallway toeing off his shoes when he came in "I'll put her to bed and we'll have the afternoon to ourselves. How does that sound Mr Winchester?"

Okay, so he's flirting with me now, thought Dean feeling completely off his game and yet there was a warm flutter in his stomach at the attention this guy was giving him. Then a light came on above Dean's head

"What about Emmie's mom? What time does she get back?" Dean grinned at his ingenious plan! The man blinked in surprise

"My sister? Dean, she's in Boston. I don't think she's going to be interrupting us any time soon" he chuckled. This guy was Emmie's uncle! The blue eyed uncle took Emmie from Dean's arms once more and carried her off up the stairs.

Panicked Dean hurried into the kitchen hoping to find Gabriel. Maybe the cook could fill him in on this babysitting lark and why his apparent boss was flirting with him. The kitchen was empty but something caught his eye, he turned to see a figure standing in the mirror at the far end of the adjoining dining room

" _Finally_!" gasped not-Sam eccentrically "I've been trying to contact you all day. Where have you been?"

"The zoo" Dean muttered under his breathe, suddenly ashamed that he'd been doing something so childish. It all came back to him and he remembered the warehouse and the trickster and being zapped by weird ass mojo "What did you do to me? Where am I?"

"I sent you to another reality and you're in New York. That's the reason I'm talking to you through a portal and not in person. I know I'm awesome in every way and all but if I made the trip to the reality you're in then I wouldn't be coming back"

"Have you stranded me here?" hissed Dean. Not-Sam rolled his shoulders and smirked at him knowingly

"Dean, I gave you a life. I'd hardly call it being stranded. No, the reason I can't come to the reality you're in is because Demons, Magic and all things that go bump in the night don't exist. There's no magic in that reality and nothing for you to hunt. There are no hunters, Dean, just regular people with the odd bedtime story. Anything scary is make believe"

"So you're telling me there's no ghosts... no demons? But... a demon killed my mom"

"Alive and well. Still living in Lawrence!" grinned not-Sam "You're really lucky; I could have killed you for killing my sister and I was going to but I think she would have preferred this instead. You're stuck in a place where the most significant part of your life is nothing but a child's bad dream"

"I don't get it" Dean shook his head

"You have to learn to be happy, Dean. I searched through all realities you exist in and in this one you're the happiest. It's something you don't know how to do... I think this is probably my most greatest trick"

"You sonova bitch"

"Dean, I hope you don't use that kind of language in front of your daughter!" laughed the not-Sam trickster "Just so you know; Emmie is your daughter and the guy who keeps flirting with you. He's your boyfriend... you've been disgustingly in love since college, you've even been planning to pop the question. So like I said Dean, have a nice life!" and then he was gone leaving Dean alone with his reflection in the mirror.

"You could have at least told his name" he grumbled. The man walked into the kitchen and grinned at Dean

"You don't have to stare at yourself. We all know you're good looking" he said as he wrapped his arms around Dean from behind "Emmie's down and I've given Gabriel and Uriel the rest of the day off so it's just you and me. Wanna fool around with me, Mr Winchester?" he asked right before his hands got grabby. Dean got hard in seconds and just as uncomfortable

"I uhh whoa..." he gasped as he pulled away from grabby hands

"What's wrong? Don't tell me work called..." pouted the man

"No uhh they didn't... I just... headache?" the man rolled his eyes but smirked and started advancing

"You always told me the best cure for a headache" before Dean knew it the man was on his knees undoing his jeans and pulling them down

"Oh, oh my god" he gasped loudly as wet warmth surrounded his erection. The man knew what he was doing down there! Dean wanted to stop, wanted to protest that he wasn't gay but that was a really hard sell when you were hard and receiving the best blow job you'd ever had from another _guy._ "Stop, you need to stop! I'm gonna..."

The guy didn't stop just started bobbing his head faster until Dean lost all coherency and tumbled back against the wall feeling content. He came back to himself to find that his dick had been tucked back into his pants and the guy was making out with him. Dean had been kissing back completely unconsciously; dude wasn't that bad a kisser.

"Papa?" came the sleepy voice. Emmie came marching in still wearing her pink dress, if now slightly crumpled, a bear was tucked under her arm and she rubbed sleepily at her eyes "Dadda took us ta see deh penguis"

"Did he now?" the man grinned as he picked her up. Okay, thought Dean, this is definitely not Emmie's uncle. With the new information the trickster had so kindly given him; he guessed that they were loaded, all those cars were his, this was his daughter and not some babysitting job he'd stupidly wandered onto and that he was gay for the blue eyed dude with the grabby hands and mad scientist hair. Mad scientist hair that had been soft and nice to tug on, but no one heard Dean think that. "Are you hungry, baby?"

"I wan dadda ta make red rice soup" she demanded still rubbing at her left eye

"Dean, make her some soup while I go grab the thermometer. She's feeling a bit warm" he pressed his palm to her forehead but she shrugged him off

"Not sick!" she yelled fiercely, as she stuck out her lower lip in defiance before she started to sniffle "Wan soup! Papa... potty!"

Dean chuckled for a moment at her words until he saw a stream of moisture running down the un-named man's dress shirt. So much for giving a decent warning! Emmie chose that moment to burst into a fully fledged crying tantrum because she'd wet her dress

"It's okay baby. Dadda's gonna make you soup and I'll run you a bath" he told her and Dean had to hand it to the guy; he was one awesome parent! Anyone would look disappointed that their sexy fun time had been interrupted but not him, he was Mr Dad and didn't seem to care that he'd just been pissed on by a grouchy three year old.

So while Mr No Name took their daughter upstairs to have a bath, he concentrated on boiling some rice and heating up tomato soup. It had been what his mother had made him when he was sick before she died; Dean froze as words hit him. The trickster had told him that his mother was alive and well because there were no demons... that meant that his brother had to be alive as well!

" _I searched through all realities you exist in and in this one you're the happiest"_

If his mother and brother were alive then did that mean his father was too? He pulled out his phone from his pocket and scrolled through the address book until he found 'Dad' listed. With his heart thrumming in his throat Deam pressed the call button and pressed the phone to his ear

"Hello" came the gruff sleepy voice he'd recognise anywhere. His dad had been dead for three years after dying in a car accident and yet here he was talking to him on the phone like nothing was out of the ordinary

"Dad?" he whispered before swallowing sharply; his dad was alive and he had no clue what to say to him

"Sammy?" John replied, Dean cleared his throat

"No dad... uhh it's me. Dean"

"I don't have a son called Dean. I only have one son" he told Dean and the young Winchester felt his blood freeze in his veins

"But dad..." had he got the wrong number?

"Look, I told you not to call here anymore. We don't want anything to do with you or your lifestyle and stop sending us money. We don't want your filthy bribes" snapped John then he hung up leaving the dial tone echoing in Dean's ear.

His family was alive but they wanted nothing to do with him all because of the grabby hands guy with the mad hair and little Emmie? Dean wanted to grab his car keys and go home to his family but something was stopping him; there must have been a reason why he was here and not there. Even beyond Emmie being cute and grabby hands being good at blowjobs.

Dean prepared the red rice soup with tears clouding his eyes. He put it in a little bowl that couldn't belong to anyone but Emmie and carried it up on a tray for her. She was out of the bath and dressed in clean pj's as the man tucked her into bed

"I sowee I peed on ya papa" said Emmie sleepily

"It's okay baby, you're not well. Hey, look what dadda's brought you" he grinned as Dean carefully set the tray down on the bed

"Fanks dadda. I love you" she stared up at him with big green eyes and he gasped. He'd not really looked at her properly the entire day he'd been around her but she had his eyes!

"I-I love you too Emmie"

They sat with her until she ate most of the tomato rice soup and fell asleep. The man put the tray on the bedside table next to the lamp before he ushered Dean out of the room

"I'm going to take a shower, could you grab the baby monitor from our room and take it with you just in case she wakes up?"

"Yeah, sure" nodded Dean and did as he was asked.

He was sitting on the bottom step of the impressive staircase holding the baby monitor in his hand when the man came down fresh from the shower, rubbing his hair dry with a small towel

"Dean? Baby, what's wrong?"

"Can you tell me your name?" Dean replied not taking his eyes off the monitor

"Whu... why? Dean you know my name" the man replied

"Please" begged Dean finally looking up at the blue eyed man, something in those blue eyes caved and the man sat down next him on the step

"It's Castiel James Novak, is there anything else you wish to know? Or are you going to tell me why you needed to ask?"

"I called my dad" Dean told Castiel, his voice barely audible like he was ashamed. Castiel blinked in strange understanding and put his arm around Dean's shoulders; Dean denied himself that that simple act gave him comfort "I want to see my family"

"God, I love you Dean. Only you could be so forgiving about what they did to you and want to see them again" sighed Cas "Is it because of Emmie? I know you've been keeping tabs on them since she was born"

"I-I miss them and they should know her. She's beautiful and so clever even when she pissed on you" he chuckled making Castiel laugh too

"Yeah she is. I could get us some flights to Kansas if you want... we could go next week, all three of us"

"I'd like that" Dean nodded. Castiel smiled and kissed Dean, Dean let him.

TBC...


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

 

It was strange going to bed with another man sleeping next to him. He remembered when he'd been hunting with his dad and they doubled up in one bed to save money. But that had stopped when he turned thirteen and John had decided that he was entitled to his own bed now they were bringing in more money with credit card fraud. But now, now Dean was back sharing a large bed with Castiel James Novak.

 

They'd watched a film cuddled on the large corner couch in the living room; Dean hadn't found cuddling with the guy anything but... well, nice. He was close to loosing it at how easy and enjoyable it was being gay for the guy, maybe it was just because it had been a long time since he'd had been close to someone?

 

“I'm beat, let's go to bed” announced Castiel as he looked up at Dean; those blue eyes were drooping sleepily and Dean agreed mentally that he too was tired. He switched off the TV before grabbing the baby monitor and pulled Cas up from the couch and the two of them wandered out of the room turning off lights as they went.

 

The messy state Dean had left the room in was no longer present, someone had straightened the blankets, made the bed and cleared away the dirty clothes. Dean sank down onto the bottom of the bed and watched as Castiel stripped off his clothes. He caught him watching and smirked “See something you like, baby?”

 

“Yeah, that's the problem” he mumbled. Castiel's smirk turned into a glowing smile as he straddled Dean's lap, sitting there in nothing but his boxer shorts

 

“Oh, I'd hardly call it a problem. Is there anything I can do for you, Mr Winchester?” he asked as his fingers crept up under Dean's shirt.

 

“I kinda feel like I've never done this before... could we take it slow?” Castiel nodded, he slowly eased the shirt Dean was wearing up and off

 

“Can I kiss you?” slowly Dean leaned forward to press his mouth against Cas's. It was different to kissing a girl but despite the hardness of masculinity, Dean still found it enjoyable and the kiss deepened. A warm feeling fluttered in his belly as he dipped his fingertips down the edge of Castiel's waistband “Let me take your jeans off, want to see you”

 

“O-Okay” nodded Dean. Cas moved back so he could kneel down and unfasten Dean's jeans then slide them off altogether.

 

They were on equal ground now, both in their underwear and hard as hell. Castiel crawled up the bed over Dean until he was on all fours above him

 

“Is this okay?” he asked Dean who just nodded and cupped his hands over Cas's hips “You don't have to be nervous, baby... you know I'd take care of you”

 

“Yeah” Dean swallowed, despite his best efforts he was nervous and he wasn't sure he wanted it to happen. Even with how good he felt; his mind was screaming that it was just because there was a warm body after so much cold.

 

Castiel bowed his head to press an open mouthed kiss to Dean's collar bone before slowly moving down, he made a detour to a dusky nipple. His lips nipped at it, tugging until Dean moaned, then he lapped his tongue over the nub before he continued his invisible path downward. His tongue danced around Dean's navel then dipped inside making the younger man whimper with need “Please”

 

“Shh, I'll give you what you need” promised Castiel, he pulled down Dean's short revealling the impressive erection to his greedy hungry eyes

 

“I'm not...” began Dean but Cas shook his head as his thumb stroked a tanned hip

 

“It's okay. I would never do anything to hurt you, _never_ ” Castiel told him, interrupting him before he could voice his fears. He kissed Dean's hip where he'd been rubbing then moved across to Dean's cock.

 

Dean whimpered as hot breathe ghosted over his manhood and then Cas was _there_. Sucking and licking at him and God, damn it was good! Where on earth had Castiel learnt how to do that, thought Dean then he smirked as it suddenly came to him.

 

“So good”

 

“I can make it even better” said Castiel with a shit eating grin as he lifted his head up for a moment, Dean sat up a little about to ask what he was gonna do when his grabby hands fluffer tugged down his shorts and lay down on top of him lining their erections up. He wrapped a hand around the both of them and started stroking. Dean was still wet and warm with Cas's spit and now they were skin on skin and it felt fucking incredible

 

“Cas... shit Castiel...” he breathed arching his neck, spreading his fingers through dark messy hair ruffling it up even more. Dean wrapped his arm around Castiel's shoulders and pulled him down to crash their mouths together; he was past the point of caring about the firmness of the lips on his nor the faint scratch of stubble.

 

“I'm gonna loose it” Castiel cried as his hand sped up. Dean bucked faster into his lover's palm feeling his orgasm building

 

“Me too. You first”

 

“Dean, Dean... god _Dean_ ” moaned Castiel as he came, thrusting as he shot his load over his hand and Dean's cock. Feeling Cas's hot come covering his erection was the straw that broke the camel's back and he came for the first time by another man's hand.

 

Since Castiel had provided such a hot roll between the sheets, Dean decided he could handle the clean up. He wandered to the bathroom, washed himself off then came back to clean up his boy.

 

“That was really good” he said with a sated smirk as he rubbed down Cas's stomach with the warm clothe. Cas carded his hand through Dean's hair and sighed sleepily

 

“Well I aim to please... leave that. Come to bed, baby” he ordered and Dean happily tossed aside the clothe and pulled on his discarded shorts

 

“Sure, I'll be right there. I just want to check on Emmie” he told him then left the room padding barefoot down the hall to check on his daughter. My daughter, he thought as he opened her door, I have a daughter.

 

Emmie was sleeping soundly curled up under her duvet, the nightlight was making her blondish hair glow. She looked like an angel! Seeing that she was okay he returned to his bedroom to find Castiel had fallen asleep. He turned the lights off and climbed in next to his boyfriend so sleep could take him.

 

*

 

It was dark, so dark and he felt cold despite the scratchy blanket over him. What was happening? Where was Castiel? Why was the room suddenly so dark? It was like a complete absence of light! Wait, Dean peered into the dark and saw two flickering orbs staring back; it was the yellowed eyed demon

 

“You sonova bitch” Dean jumped up from the bed and before he could do anything else he was thrown up against the wall by an invisible force

 

“Long time no see, Deano” Azazel greeted him. The bastard was wearing his dad's meat suit and had a sly, cocky grin “Oh we haven't seen each other since I cooked your mom like pot roast”

 

“I'm gonna kill you” hissed Dean as he struggled against the bonds holding him. Azazel waggled his dad's finger at him

 

“Now, the way I see it. You're in no position to be killing anyone” he told him as he began to pace “It's just going to be you and me. Y'know a friend of mine down in the pit taught me a few tricks for showing you humans a good time. I think I might do a little revision on you if you don't mind... and kid... you're dad's wide awake and screaming in here”

 

Azazel tore open the grey shirt Dean had been wearing for bed so he could have easy access to the young man's tattooed chest. A thin line of red appeared running through the seal over Dean's heart and travelled down towards his belly button

 

“Gahhh stop!” yelled Dean but Azazel ignored him and started cutting another line down next to the first. Blood was dripping down his torso steadily and his skin felt like it was on fire

 

“But we're just getting started... do you really want me to go to the main event?”

 

“I'll kill you” he replied, tasting blood in his mouth. He spat it at the demon and felt over the moon when it hit the bastards cheek

 

“Now, Dean. That wasn't very nice” Azazel wiped the blood off with the back of his hand before his eyes glowed yellow and with a finger cut into Dean deeper than before.

 

He jerked awake. He was back in the bedroom with Castiel and he was screaming, howling with pain... his voice was almost inhuman to him as he felt at his chest

 

“Dean! Dean! It's okay... you were having a nightmare!” Castiel was shaking him by the shoulders. The door burst open and Emmie came running in, she was clutching her teddybear and looked like something had scared the hell out of her “Emmie, you need to go back to bed”

 

“Whys dadda screamin? I gots scareded” she told them, clambering onto the bed and ignored her papa.

 

“It was a dream. Just a really bad dream” Dean muttered to himself. He had the desperate urge to salt the windows and the bedroom door just in case. He easily plucked Emmie from the bottom of the bed and sandwiched her between him and Cas “I'm okay Emmie. Go to sleep”

 

“Dean...”

 

“We'll talk in the morning” he cut Castiel off and lay back down in the bed. Castiel sighed but switched the light off and tried to go back to sleep.

 

Dean was shaking, he hadn't dream of Azazel in a very long time. Not since he'd lost his father when that demon crashed into them with a semi... it had been easy after that because he had nothing left to loose but now... here, he had everything to loose. His family were alive and well and he had Cas and Emmie. If he could come here then god only knew what other kinds of monsters could cross into this reality!

 

When morning did come, Dean was grumpy and wanted to just avoid everything. It was Saturday and he hadn't wanted to get out of bed but both Emmie and Cas had ganged up on him. Gabriel was in the kitchen again, wearing another unrealistically white uniform

 

“Good morning, Gabriel” Castiel greeted him as he put Emmie down in her seat before flopping down into his own chair

 

“Morning, Mr Castiel. Did you sleep well?” asked Gabriel smiling warmly at the little family

 

“As well as could be expected all things considered” replied Castiel pointedly staring at Dean. The dark cloud over Dean's head darkened and his scowl deepened

 

“I. Do. Not. Want. To. Talk. About. It” he growled grumpily

 

“This isn't over. We will talk about it” Castiel corrected him before unfolding his napkin into his lap. Gabriel dished the cooked breakfast out and set it before his bosses before starting the cleanup.

 

The situation at breakfast left Dean feeling caged and anxious; he was ready to climb the walls and Cas was lucky that there were no guns in the house because he would have ended up with several shells of rocksalt in his kneecaps just for all the god damn staring he was doing!

 

“Quit staring at me!” he snapped. Castiel glanced at Gabriel then his daughter

 

“Gabriel, would you mind watching Emmie for a moment while I talk to my partner?”

 

“Sure, Mr Castiel. You want to help me dry the dishes, princess?” he asked. She happily bounced over to help him; all the signs she'd shown of being ill just hours earlier had vanished.

 

Castiel ushered Dean out of the room into the large hallway come entrance. He crossed his arms and waited expectantly for Dean to tell him what was wrong

 

“Listen, I said I don't want to talk about it and I mean it”

 

“Dean, don't” sighed Cas “I get it you know. I just don't know why you're being so hard on me about it? I know you've been sending money to your family, I've never judged you for that since it's your money but every time you try and get in touch with them you end up with bad dreams. You've never woken up screaming before though... it's because you're going to see them. What did they do to you that made you react like that?”

 

“I wasn't dreaming about my family... just...” he shook his head; how could he tell Castiel that he'd been reliving a memory when his father was possessed by the demon who'd killed his mother and brother?

 

“Just what? Baby you can tell me...” urged Castiel moving closer to Dean. Dean couldn't help himself and gave into letting himself be held

 

“I was dreaming about my dad, he was hurting me”

 

“Hurting you as in...” Castiel went pale and Dean's eyes almost bugged out of his head at the insinuation.

 

“What? No, nothing like that. I dreamt he was possessed and he was cutting me... it was stupid”

 

“Dean, baby, don't do that to yourself. It is not stupid!” Castiel told him as he stepped back and gripped Dean's shoulders “They kicked you out, they're the ones who are stupid! I have known you for seven years and every day I'm more amazed to be around you. You've got the biggest heart I've ever seen and you adore Emmie; you take on apprentices at the garage even though it costs you to put them through the training. How anyone could hate you or turn you away or treat you like _they_ did doesn't deserve you in their life”

 

“I still want to see them. One last time...” said Dean still refusing to look up at Castiel. He didn't want to be alone anymore and yeah if his family wanted nothing to do with him then he could live with that because they were alive and they were safe. That would be more than enough when before there had been nothing.

 

“Then that's what we'll do” he nodded “But just promise me one thing, no more sulking. It's okay for Emmie to get away with it... she's three. You're twenty nine”

 

“Alright. Sorry, Cas” he apologised. Castiel said nothing just kissed him softly and went back into the kitchen so Gabriel could get back to his duties.

 

Dean wandered off to explore his house, he wanted to find a computer. He wasn't as good as research like his dad or Bobby but he could hold his own; he'd had to after they'd died and there had been no one else to do it. The room he'd barged into was a study with a large flat screen computer sat atop a gorgeous oak desk with a very comfy looking computer chair. He happily sank into the leather and powered up the computer.

 

It wasn't that difficult to look up his dad; they still lived in the same house. There had been no fire so the house hadn't been destroyed. John was still running the garage with Mike but he'd retired. Once Dean knew a bit more about his dad's life he moved on to his mom's life. The trickster had told him that she was alive and well but he knew nothing about her. She'd gone back to work as a secretary in the local sheriff's office not long after her daughter had turned one. Wait, daughter? Dean quickly clicked up the newspapers for the date and found out that he'd had a sister born in 1986.

 

“I've got a sister” he mumbled, he looked her up and couldn't believe his eyes. She was a stunning high cheekboned, green eyed beauty “Katherine Winchester”

 

Dean looked up her address then he's half way to the car before he even realises what he's doing. She's in New York. She's here and he's here so he can see her!

 

“Dadda? We's gonna go ta deh pool now?” Emmie was there and a strange twinge flashed in his head, a memory, he remembered Emmie sitting on his knee and him telling her that they were going swimming on Saturday.

 

“Not yet sweetie, I need to go out for a little while but we'll go when I get back. I promise... go tell your papa that I've gone to see my sister” he told her. Emmie scampered off excited to deliver the message and Dean quickly continued on his way to the car.

 

TBC...


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

 

Dean hadn't been sure what to expect of where his sister lived but looking at the college campus he felt nothing but pride. His little sister had graduated high school and gotten herself into college! He parked the impala outside her dormitory then jogged up the steps to push the buzzer

 

“Hello?”

 

“Yeah, I'm here to see Katherine Winchester” he told the intercom, then the door buzzed and popped open. Fourth floor room ten.

 

The sign on the door read Kathy and Bryony, he re-read it as he gathered courage sucking in sharp breathes to gain the nerve. In the end he knocked on the door and felt his heart freeze in his chest as the door opened. It wasn't his sister on the other side of it so he suspected that this was Bryony

 

“Can I help you?” asked the red head with cute elfin features, Dean cleared his throat and nodded

 

“Yeah I'm looking for Kathy...” he trailed off when Bryony stepped aside and he saw Kathy sitting on her bed with two books spread out in front of her

 

“Who...” she began then her eyes widened “Dean?”

 

“Hey”

 

“Oh my God! Dean!” she leapt off the bed and raced at him. He caught the blonde fury of his little sister as she plowed into him and wrapped her arms around his neck, she began to sob with shock and surprise “My brother, my big brother”

 

Dean couldn't say anything, didn't even know where to begin! He had a sister, she was safe and alive, and here he was meeting her for the first time.

 

“I'll leave you two to it” Bryony announced as he grabbed her coat “I have work anyway. It was nice meeting you Dean”

 

Kathy ushered him inside and shut the door behind him. She was wiping her happy tears away with her sleeve as he inspected her room

 

“Where have you been all this time? I haven't seen you since I was eleven” Kathy explained as she flopped down on her bed

 

“I've been here... heh, eleven... it's a miracle you remember me at all” he chuckled as he looked over the books on her shelf, idly fingering the titles

 

“Don't be silly, Dean, you're my big brother! I could never forget you! I remember the night you left, I remember the fight you had with dad”

 

“Tell me” whispered Dean as he sat down on the edge of her bed, she bit her lip and he could see his mother in her but she had their dad's chin

 

“I was upstairs. One of your friends had come round and both of you were in your room... dad came home and Nick... I think he was your best friend left in a hurry and then you were screaming and shouting at each other. Mom and Sam were at school for an awards thing... and then you were gone... a small part of me thought that dad had killed you because it went quiet. I crept downstairs and dad was sitting in his chair... I asked him where you were and he said you'd gone...” she cracked up, the tears returning “And you were never coming back”

 

“Hey, hey. Shhh it's okay. I'm here now” he wrapped his arms around his baby sister

 

“Why did you leave, Dean? Why didn't you come back? I've missed you so much”

 

“I know and I'm sorry. I should have come back to see you and Sammy and mom but I... I don't know why I didn't”

 

“Can't believe you've been here this entire time” she chuckled as she wiped away her tears “We looked for you but you completely vanished... what have you been up to? Do you have a girlfriend? A job?”

 

Dean stood up; a strange feeling overcame him, he wasn't the type of guy to be embarrassed about who he was sleeping with but talking to his sister about Castiel sent up warning flags. Wandering over to the window he tried to guess why he'd be worried about telling her that his other half was a he rather than a she

 

“I've been with Cas since college and we have a little girl, Emmie's three year's old” he told her and she bounced with joy

 

“I'm an auntie?” she blurted “And Cass? What's she like? Knowing you, I bet she's beautiful! I remember all those girls who'd come round to the house to see you! Sam was so jealous you were getting all the attention!”

 

“Uhh yeah. The thing is, Kathy, that Cas... it's short for Castiel. He's my boyfriend” he didn't want to look at her for fear of reaction. He'd faced down all manner of monsters and yet telling her this was far more terrifying! Dean finally turned around and her eyes were wide but she had the cheesiest grin on her face

 

“Oh my God! You're gay! I would have never seen that one coming but then again... all those women! It should have been obvious! Sam's gonna freak when I tell him!”

 

“You... you're not angry with me?” he couldn't believe she wasn't annoyed with him. Kathy scowled at him

 

“Duh... I live in New York. Half of my friends are gay or bisexual... if you think I'm gonna be upset about you liking dick then pull the other one!” she chuckled

 

“Sorry, I just thought you'd be angry or upset with me” he mumbled. She climbed off the bed and came over to hug him

 

“I'm only upset that you spent all this time away because you thought we'd be against it. I don't care who you love... you should never be punished for loving someone” he pressed a kiss to her hair and smirked when he realised she barely came up to his shoulders.

 

“I should be getting back, I promised my daughter I'd take her to the pool... I'm a man of my word” Dean told his sister, her green eyes bugged out again and she rushed to her chest of draws

 

“Can I come with you? I want to meet them, your family! Please, Dean, can I?” she begged. Dean tugged out his phone and glanced at it

 

“I'd have to check it with Castiel but I guess so... are you sure?”

 

“Dean” she snapped levelling her gaze at him “I haven't seen you in ten years. I want to know everything”

 

“So do I, I want to know everything about you... and Sammy. What's he up to? Did he go to college or get a job... is he married?”

 

“Sam's a lawyer and he's not married yet. He just asked his girlfriend Jessica to marry him” Kathy grinned and Dean nodded, overwhelmed by joy

 

“My little brother's gonna get married” he whispered. Dean sat on the edge of her bed while she packed for the pool and then the two of them were driving back to his house to pick up Castiel and Emmie.

 

***

 

Kathy Winchester had to drag her jaw across the floor as soon as she saw Dean's house. The solid marble floor, heavy oak doors and a wide staircase

 

“Either you won the lottery or Castiel is really old money and he's your sugar daddy... how on earth can you afford this place? It's incredible!”

 

“I didn't win the lottery and Cas isn't my sugar daddy. I guess I just worked really hard over these past few years”

 

“I'd say” she chuckled then blanched “Your work is all legal right?”

 

“Yes, it is” laughed Dean as he ushered her into the main living room “Cas, there you are. Sorry for running out”

 

“You better have a good excuse. I've been dealing with a very impatient pouty three year old who wants to go to the pool” replied Castiel as he rose from the couch

 

“I do. Cas, this is my baby sister Kathy... Kathy this is my boyfriend Castiel” Dean introduced the two of them. Castiel's jaw dropped open and Kathy began to tear up before she marched across the room throwing herself at the older man

 

“Thank you for looking after him” she whispered into his ear as she hugged him

 

“I... you're welcome” Castiel glanced at Dean who was grinning from ear to ear then he wrapped his arms around the petite Winchester

 

“Dadda! Dadda! You're back!” Emmie launched herself as his legs and he easily swung her up into his arms

 

“I sure am, princess! And I brought someone who really wanted to meet you. This is my little sister Kathy... she's your auntie”

 

“Oh God, Dean she's beautiful!” Kathy gasped, she moved away from Castiel to meet the little girl sitting in her eldest brother's arms

 

“S'nice ta meet ya auntie Kaffy” Emmie grinned and Kathy felt her heart melting into a little puddle! She couldn't wait to tell Sam all about their adorable niece!

 

“You're adorable! Are you at school yet? Can I see your room? I bet you've got loads of lovely toys” Emmie bounced over into Kathy's arms and the young woman grunted under the wriggling weight

 

“S'upsdairs. Can I show auntie Kaffy meh room dadda?” Dean glanced at Castiel who just smiled and shrugged his shoulders

 

“Go on, but be quick. We're going to the pool, remember” the two of them took off upstairs leaving Dean and Cas alone “I'm sorry I just up and left...” Cas crossed the room to enfold Dean into his arms

 

“Shhh, don't. If I'd been seperated from Anna for ten years and I found out she was here in the city I would have done the same. It's amazing to finally meet your family, I... well I didn't think that this could ever happen and now that it has... I want the rest of it to happen for you. I got my happy ending, it's about time you had yours”

 

“I already got my happy. I have you and Emmie”

 

“Yeah but you should have your family. They should love and adore you as much as we do, you deserve it because you're wonderful”

 

“Dude, you're so gay” he replied feeling embarrassed by how Castiel was treating him, Dean laughed it off and pulled away from his boyfriend.

 

“Lucky for you then, I guess” Castiel shot back easily like they'd played this game a thousand times. Dean nodded mutely and he felt that same flutter in his stomach at Castiel wanting him to be happy.

 

*

 

Emmie shrieked as she flew through the air, her arms splaying in wide arcs but it was no good. Her eyes widened in terror as it all happened so fast. She hit the surface of the water with a loud splash sending water all over Kathy and Castiel. Dean jumped into the pool just as Emmie surfaced, her water wings helping her bob, she flashed her dadda a gap toothed grin before she started paddling over to him.

 

Dean scooped her up out of the water and tossed the three year old to Castiel who deftly caught her before falling back submerging them both. When they came up they found Dean and Kathy having an epic water fight splashing at each other like each wave was a memory lost. In the end Dean just waded over to her, lifted his baby sister up and threw her into the deep end.

 

They'd been goofing off for an hour and a half and Emmie was getting tired. They all swam over to the shallow end and lay in the warm water

 

“Have you had fun today, baby?” Castiel asked Emmie who was trying to tug her water wings off, she'd got one off and it was drifting away

 

“Ahuh... can we's get ice creem ?”

 

“You have to have a proper meal before you can have your ice cream, princess” Dean told her automatically. He had no idea why he'd said that only it sounded like something a responsible parent would say

 

“Okay” sighed Emmie making Kathy giggle

 

“You're such a cute family” she told them “I'm glad you came and found me. I can't believe I've missed so much. When I tell Sam I bet he drops everything just to come and see you all”

 

“Sam? Whose dat?” asked Emmie. Dean sat up, water sleucing off him making Castiel swallow hard

 

“That's my little brother” Dean said; in the reality he'd come from Sammy had died in the fire along with their mother. He was looking forward to meeting Sammy and seeing how he'd grown up... he was a bit more excited to meet his brother than he was to meet his sister; because Dean had lost Sammy. It was different from not meeting a person who was never born, had never known.

 

“Ya gots a lickle bruva and a lickle sista? I wanna a lickle bruva!” all three adults blinked in surprise at her demand before Castiel started laughing

 

“We'll see. You'll have to be very nice to Auntie Anna” he told her, Kathy tickled her niece for attention

 

“You don't want a little sister?” she inquired

 

“Nah, a lickle sista would be beautifuller dan me an I donts wanna dadda or papa ta love me less” she explained then crossed her arms, or tried to. It just made her look adorable

 

“Baby, we wouldn't love you any less. Whether you had a little sister or a little brother... you're our daughter” said Dean scooping her up onto his lap “We will always love you, no matter what”

 

Kathy sniffled getting the little family's attention. Castiel looked at her in confusion, he cocked his head to the side

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“I've missed so much”

 

“Don cry auntie Kaffy. We loves you too” Emmie slid off Dean's lap and paddled towards her aunt and wrapped her up in her little arms, enveloping her against her small body.

 

Dean had left when she was eleven and she'd grown up with only one of her big brothers instead of two; she'd missed him more than she ever imagined she would. Mary and Sam searched for Dean while she sat by the phone waiting for him to ring but he never did. As more time passed they began to loose hope that they would ever see Dean again and deep down she wondered if she'd done something wrong... something to drive him away.

 

“I love you, princess” she replied, she hadn't meant to start crying. She was sitting there thinking about how cute a family the three of them made and how she couldn't wait to tell Sam so he'd be able to see for himself and maybe just maybe they'd be the Winchesters again and not some fractured substitute.

 

“I think it's time we go get something to eat” announced Dean as he stood up, the others agreed with them. Kathy and Emmie went into the girl's locker room while Dean and Cas walked hand in hand into the mens.

 

*

 

Kathy didn't want to go home, she didn't want to get out of Dean's car and go back to her dormitory, she leaned back against the leather and sighed.

 

“Tell me about Sammy” Dean asked her; he too wasn't ready to see his sister go

 

“Heh” she snorted “It's so weird to hear you calling him Sammy like he's this little kid. He's taller than you now, you know”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yahuh, major growth spurt. He's gigantor... makes him more intimidating when he's in court” she explained

 

“Court? He's a lawyer?”

 

“Not quite, he's still studying but he's a junior something or other with his major law firm in California. It won't be long until he passes the bar and starts putting criminals away, Dad's very proud; he was hoping for military for Sam but this is just as good” Dean was having a hard time connecting the image of his six month old baby brother and this ridiculously tall man who had dreams and goals

 

“Can't believe it. I can still picture him in diapers... so he's happy, right? What about his girlfriend?”

 

“Jessica. They announced their engagement when they came home for mom's birthday, he totally ruined my present” she complaied before scowling when she caught sight of her watch “I have to go in because I've got an early start tomorrow but I don't want to. I'm afraid you'll disappear again”

 

“I won't. I promise... where would I go? Do you really think I'd do that now that we're together again?”

 

“You're right. I'm sorry... it's just... it's been ten years Dean. Ten years of nothing, of not knowing whether you were alive or dead. Can you really blame me for not wanting to let you go again?”

 

“Katherine. I promise you... come by the house, hell you can call me and I'll send my driver over to pick you up if you want?”

 

“Driver? You really are insanely rich” she shook her head in disbelief, she leaned across the car and pulled him into a crushing hug “You better not disappear again”

 

Kathy grabbed her jacket, climbed out of the car and hurried inside. Bryony was still out when she got back to her room; the first thing she did was toss her jacket on the way to the phone. She excitedly dialled her brother's phone number

 

“Sam?” she asked almost frantically when the ringing tone was answered

 

“No, it's Jess. Kathy, is that you?”

 

“Yeah. Hey Jess... look I really need to speak to Sam it's very important” she couldn't keep the grin off her face

 

“I'll go get him. You're not in any trouble are you?”

 

“No. I'm not... oh my god I still can't believe it. I found Dean” she told her almost sister in law then she heard Jess passing the phone and the faint words of her telling Sam who it was

 

“Kath? What's wrong?”

 

“I found Dean” she told him as she flopped herself down on her bed. She was met with silence for a moment and ended up frowning at the phone “Sam? Did you hear what I said”

 

“Dean's been missing for ten years, Kathy. He's gone... he's not coming back and this isn't funny. Why would you make something like this up?”

 

“Excuse me?!” snapped Katherine “I'm not making this up. I spent the entire day with him, his partner and their daughter! We went swimming then went to McDonalds. Emmie fell asleep in her fries... oh, god Sam she's the most gorgeous kid you've ever seen!”

 

“Kath, Kathy, Katherine! Stop it!” he yelled at her.

 

“I can prove it” she whispered, she pulled out her cell phone and forwarded the photo that Cas had taken of the three of them cuddled up after they'd been swimming

 

“I... Kathy. How...” began Sam after receiving the photo she'd sent

 

“He just showed up at my dorm today. He's been living here the entire time”

 

“I'll catch the first flight out. I should be there in the morning... can you call mom? I need to call the office and let them know there's been a family emergency”

 

“Sure, I can't believe we've finally got him back” Kathy said finally before ringing off.

 

TBC...


	5. Chapter Five

Castiel was draped over the couch, his head resting back and he had a content smile on his face when Dean got home. He'd been watching TV but as soon as he heard the door he turned waiting for his lover to come in. Nothing was more important to him

“Hey” greeted Dean

“Hey yourself, Kathy get home okay?”

“Yep. You just watching a little TV?” Dean asked as he came in and perched on the arm of the couch. Castiel's lazy grin stretches mischievously, his hand creeping along the back of the couch to poke Dean's side

“Not really, was waiting for you. Emmie's fast asleep for the night” he told him, those wandering fingers doing more than poking now. Dean had no idea why he was getting turned on, the past few days had been fantastic and he really liked some of the things that he and Castiel had done together but his mind kept screaming that he wasn't gay. Every other body part was telling him that it didn't matter; it felt too damn good and getting off was getting off.

“Wanna go upstairs then. There's this really big bed that people should put to good use-” Castiel was up, moving between Dean's legs as soon as he mentioned the word bed and started kissing him 

“I'd like to put you to good use, Mr Winchester” Castiel mumbled against Dean's mouth. Kissing Castiel felt incredible; he didn't even bother with a witty come back, he just dived into that warmth “Take me to bed and fuck me”

Whoa... even some of the dirtiest, wildest girl's he'd ever been with were never that direct. Dean got hard just hearing Cas's gravelly demand

“Yeah, alright” because really, who could say no?

*

It was sleepy warm happiness, something lazy and satisfying that made a smile spread across his face. Dean rolled over and came face to face with his lover; last night had been incredible and to wake up with no thought of quickly sneaking out or having to face an angered husband was the icing on the cake.

“What'd I do to end up with such a cool guy like you?” he murmured to his sleeping lover. Dean snuggled closer as he pressed his face into the crook of Castiel's shoulder and smiled, his eyes drifted shut but they snapped open when he heard the bedroom door burst open.

Emmie tore into the room jumping up onto the bed, she managed to use Castiel as a spring board to bounce herself onto Dean. He grunted under her weight and winced at how close she came to landing on something precious.

“Uhh morning” groaned Castiel before he rolled over. Emmie started bouncing on top of Dean before he grabbed the little girl and tucked her down between him and Cas

“It's still sleepy time, princess. We have to be quiet so papa doesn't turn into an angry bear” he told her. Minutes later all three of them in the bed were fast asleep.

When Dean woke up again it was just him and Emmie in the bed and there was a fantastic smell coming from downstairs, he tucked the blankets around the sleeping girl and went downstairs to find Cas at the stove instead of Gabriel

“Hey” grinned Castiel, more alert and less grouchy than he had been when Emmie tried to wake them up. He was currently chopping up a banana to put into the pancakes, when Dean padded over he couldn't help himself; he fed Dean some of the banana before leaning forward to kiss him

“Hey yourself” he smirked before playfully smacking Cas on the ass “Emmie's still asleep, it's just us”

“Ah” Cas held up his hand “Before you start I have lesson plans that I have to finish”

“Not even a little...” Dean happily leaned forward mimicking Castiel's early teasing with the ingredients

“Well, maybe a little for incentive” Castiel let Dean kiss him but they were interrupted by a happy giggle

“Morning, princess” he said after she ran at him and he lifted her into his arms

“Are we's gonna go ta da park taday, dadda?” she asked him, Castiel had gone back to cooking breakfast and Dean nodded

“Yep, just you and me and then later once papa's finished his work do you want to go see a film?” he asked her and her eyes widened in excited joy, he'd hit the mark and seeing her happy smile made him feel warm inside. Dean liked making his little girl happy

“We can go for ice cream after, maybe Kathy can come with us?” suggested Castiel as he took Emmie from Dean and put her down in her chair at the table “But you only get ice cream if you eat your dinner”

“I will, papa” Emmie told him solemnly. Dean poured himself a coffee then poured one for Cas and leaned against the counter to drink it.

“What's your class working on at the moment?”

“We're going over various plays by Shakespeare, it's like trying to teach a wall how to fry cook” he rolled his eyes “I miss teaching first graders; I miss getting into class and seeing kids actually excited to learn something”

“Can you go back to teaching first graders?” Castiel sighed as he sat down at the table. Dean hefted himself up onto the counter as he sipped at his coffee “If it made you happy surely you could transfer?”

“I'm under contract and I can't leave the kids mid semester. But you're right, I'll look into transfering once this semester is up. What would I do without you?” he shook his head “I would have just stayed and had to deal with those blank faces making me miserable”

“I just want you to be happy” he said honestly.

Ever since Dean came here, he'd been feeling strange... no, he thought to himself, not strange exactly because he was loving his life here. It was just an unusual sense of belonging. When he dreamt he saw things that the Dean in this reality must have known; memories and feelings that he'd never experienced. It was like he was melding with the Dean of this reality. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stop it or not; the Dean in this reality was happy, he had everything that Dean had ever wished for. Not even the gay thing was putting him off.

“Well, I will be. Once I get these lesson plans finished off”

“Alright, alright. I can take a hint” Dean smirked. He chugged down the last of his coffee before hopping down off the counter to join his family at the table. Cas cut up Emmie's pancakes for her while Dean poured her a glass of juice.

After breakfast, Castiel loaded up the dishwasher while Dean took their daughter up stairs to get dressed for the park

“Dadda, I wants ta wear my sneakers and jeans so's I can play in da sandpit. You's gonna push me on the swings, right?”

“Of course, princess. I'll push you as high as you want to go... here, let me do your laces up” he knelt down and fastened her shoes without really thinking about it. Then he caught himself; he'd done this a thousand times before for it to be muscle memory. It wasn't just Castiel that he was getting feelings and strange flashes of memory from, it was Emmie as well. This merging thing seemed more and more likely and Dean suddenly panicked, what if it wasn't a merging of two Deans but the Dean in this reality taking back over? Would he loose himself?

“Dadda, you okay?” Emmie was staring up at him with her big bright eyes full of worry, he plastered on a smile and shook his head

“I'm fine, just thinking about how fast I'm going to spin you on the roundabout” he told her. Her face lifted and the worry disappeared to be replaced with enthusiastic joy

“Yeah!” Dean picked her up once he'd tied the last knot and carried her back downstairs.

Castiel popped his head around the office door to say goodbye and have a good time before disappearing back inside. Emmie pulled her coat on and Dean grabbed his jacket before taking hold of her hand and they were off to the park.

That morning, Cas worked hard to get the lesson plans finished and printed off. He hoped that he'd have enough time to cook lunch for when Dean and Emmie got back; Dean had really been attentive lately and honestly, Castiel was sad to be missing spending time with their daughter. Both of them were busy men but Dean had found the time to be with her, which made him very jealous. Dean worked more hours than he did and his work was very important and yet he was the perfect father.

Scowling at himself; those negative thoughts were popping up again and it made him feel ashamed that he was blaming Dean for being so good. He was only a few short thoughts away from wondering what the hell Dean Winchester was doing with him when the doorbell rang.

“Who on earth could that be?” he mumbled to himself as he closed his laptop “I bet Dean's forgot his keys again”

He glanced at his watch to see it was coming up to half twelve and his scowl returned, Cas had been hoping to get more done but his pity party had held him back.

As soon as he opened the door Kathy threw her arms around him, she seemed as energetic as Emmie had been about going to the park

“Hey Cas, come help me with these suitcases” she said before hurrying down the steps to where an unbelievable giant of a man was struggling to get a suitcase out of the trunk of a cab. A pretty blonde woman was helping Kathy pull another suitcase up the steps

“Uhm, Kathy, what's going on?” he asked as he came to help despite his confusion

“Sam and Jess hopped a plane last night after I told them that I'd found Dean. They didn't even stop to book a hotel for when they got here so they're going to have to find a place. You don't mind that they put their suitcases in yours for now?”

“No, no that's fine” he agreed as he took hold of the case from Jess and Kathy and hefted it up the steps. Castiel stood in the doorway watching as Sam paid the driver then easily carried the second case up the steps.

“Where's Dean?” Kathy demanded looking round like he'd miraculously appear out of thin air. Castiel couldn't help but smile at her attitude

“He took Emmie to the park. They should be back soon...” he told them

“It's okay for us to wait?” asked Sam. He, too, was looking round but his eyes were lingering on the expensive doors and marble staircase

“Sam, it's fine. Do you guys want anything to drink? Eat? I was just about to do some lunch” Sam blinked in surprise

“You know who I am?” he couldn't help his surprise

“Of course I do. Dean's told me so much about you... he's even got a couple of pictures of you together before he left Lawrence”

“Really?” Sam glanced at his fiance before looking back at Castiel “I'm sorry but I don't know who you are”

“Castiel Novak” he held out his hand for Sam to shake

“Nice to meet you Castiel. This is my girlfriend Jessica Moore” she shook Castiel's hand before he ushered them all into the living room.

Sam was looking through all the photos on the mantelpiece while Jess was taking in the expensive furniture and stylish décor

“Did Dean win the lottery or something? This place is incredible!” she couldn't help but gasp. The couch was made of the softest leather she'd ever felt and everything screamed successful

“This must be... Emmie is it? Dean's daughter?” he asked Kathy as he held out a framed photograph. She took hold of it and nodded; it was of Emmie sitting in front of a cake with two candles on it “She's beautiful, I can't believe Dean's got a kid”

“I can't wait for you to meet her. She's so adorable... you just want to play with her and spoil her rotten”

“I'm making some sandwiches for lunch and put a pot of coffee on” Cas told them as he came into the room

“We ate on the plane but coffee would be good” smiled Jess “Do you want me to give you a hand?”

“No that's alright, you had a long trip from California. You just rest up...” he trailed off when the heard the door opening “Ah, that must be them now”

Sam put the photograph back on the mantelpiece and nervously began to smooth down his clothes, in the hallway they could hear someone noisily taking off their shoes

“Auntie Kaffy's here! Auntie Kaffy's here!”

“Go wash your hands” Sam could hear Dean saying and a blonde blur sped past the doorway “Cas! We're back!”

“In here” Castiel replied. Sam stopped breathing when he saw Dean, who looked healthy and a little worn out from the park but overall he looked happy. All this time Sam had believed that Dean was dead and now, here he was.

“What...” Dean glanced at Castiel who was smiling before he looked back at the giant standing in his living room “Sammy?”

“Hey, Dean” replied Sam who was doing his best not to start crying. Dean crossed the room in three strides and pulled his brother into a bone crushing hug.

Sammy had died before he even reached his first birthday; he'd made the demon who took his mother and brother away suffer. Dean could still remember the acrid smell and the thickening smoke curling around him as his dad pulled him screaming out of the house. That same smell was clinging to the Sammy in front of him now; Dean fought the urge to push his brother away. He knew it was just a memory but he was sure he could taste the smoke and foul barbeque.

Finally Sammy let Dean go and stood back to look at his big brother, he didn't want their reunion to be tinged with bitterness and anger but it had been ten years since he'd seen his older brother. Ten years without a call or a letter to know that Dean was alive and well! Sam mentally frowned to himself, what kind of person did that to their loved ones? He wanted to punch his big brother

“I can't believe you're really here” Dean said grinning “Didn't think I'd ever get to see you again”

“Why did you leave, Dean? Mom and me... we thought you were dead. Why didn't you come home? We looked for you! Why didn't you tell us you were alive?” Sam's voice rose as that anger and emotion took over

“I sent letters, hell before Emmie was born I'd send a cheque every month but they'd always come back uncashed. I've tried calling but dad told me not to call anymore”

“What?” gasped Kathy glanced at Sam “Why would he do that? Is it because of Castiel?”

“Your father turned Dean away long before I met him” explained Castiel. Kathy scowled as she remembered that night that Dean went away

“He kicked you out, didn't he?” she asked, tears were filling her eyes. Emmie chose that moment to come back into the room, she jumped up at Kathy and cuddled her

“Hi auntie Kaffy!” Kathy cuddled the girl. Castiel sighed

“Emmie, why don't you come and help me make lunch?” he held out his hand for her. Jessica glanced round the Winchesters before she stood up

“Why don't I give you a hand?” she suggested

“Who's dat?” Emmie inquired as she popped one finger in her mouth and pointed at Jess

“That's your auntie Jess” Castiel told her as he crouched down “She's going to marry your uncle Sam, dadda's little brother”

“She's pretty” mumbled Emmie shyly. Castiel lifted her up into his arms and held the door open for Jessica. She shut it behid her leaving Dean, Sam and Kathy alone to talk

“What's going on?” Sam demanded “Why would dad kick you out?”

“Sam... you haven't figured it out yet?” Kathy asked, she stood up sharply and crossed towards the mantelpiece and held out a photo that Sam had overlooked. He took it and looked down to see Dean standing behind Castiel with his arms around him, he was kissing the shorter man's cheek

“Gay...? That's it? That's why you've been out of our lives all this time?” he asked. Dean suddenly felt ashamed that his brother knew.

“I-I'm sorry, Sammy” he mumbled, head bowed. Sam shook his head

“No. You don't get it do you?” replied Sam crossing the distance to pull his brother into his arms “You don't have anything to be sorry about. I should be the one apologising”

“You're not angry?”

“Dude, I live in California. Every other couple that lives there is same sex, I'd be a hypocrite and besides thinking about it now... I should have guessed”

“Wait, what? Guessed?”

“All those girls you brought home... should have been the tip off. No guy who spends that much time with women can be straight” Kathy couldn't help but laugh. She'd missed this so much

“It's like old times” she nodded “I'm going to see how the others are doing, give you time to catch up since I had my day yesterday”

Kathy left the room leaving the two Winchester boys alone. Dean scrubbed his hands across his face... this had been far too chick flick for him but how often did something this emotionally positive happen to him?

“So, tell me about you and Castiel... how long have you been together?” Sammy had gone back to looking over the pictures, he wanted to see them all.

“Since college” Dean answered, talking about it was making other-Dean's memories come to the surface; it was like he was suddenly precognitive

“You went to college?” Sammy seemed surprised but impressed. Dean nodded then stood up and pointed out the photo of him graduating

“Right here in New York, I did Civil Engineering. I met Cas in the library during my final year, I dropped a text book on his foot and offered to buy him coffee as an apology” Dean could see the encounter like he was living it in real time. Hurting Cas's foot and all the flirting they did as they sat at that little table in the overcrowded café. If he wasn't sitting down already then the headrush would have sent him tumbling, the sensations were incredible! “What about you? Kathy said you're doing law”

“Yeah, criminal law but I'm thinking of switching majors” he said as he ran his fingertips over the edge of the mantel “I want to help families with custody and adoption. Partly because me and Jess volunteer at this youth centre and partly because of you... I always thought that maybe if someone had been there for you then you wouldn't have left”

Dean's mind pictured the night he left and the argument with dad. It was rather horrific to live through a moment that had already happened to the other-Dean but first time for him. The downright hatred and disgust that was in his father's eyes was suffocating

“He... um, god” Dean shook his head; in his reality it had just been him and dad. It was unbelievably painful to see the man who'd loved, protected and eventually gave his life away for Dean turn him away. No wonder other-Dean had hightailed it out of there! “I knew I should have come back, it was wrong of me to stay away all this time but he made it clear... God the way he looked at me that last time...” he shook his head

“We won't turn you away. Kathy and me, you're our brother! You'll always have us as family... Jess too” promised Sam. He came and sat down next to his big brother “I keep wanting to be angry at you for all this, for leaving but it's not your fault. You've been alone all this time”

“Not all this time. I've got Cas and Emmie... and if you want to be angry at me then go ahead. I could have done more. I should have been there for you Sammy,”

“You weren't but you're here now and I think that matters more” he said finally before he yawned “Man, that flight really took it out of me. Think we should be heading to a hotel soon”

“No, you can stay here. It's not like we haven't got the room” he told Sam before excusing himself to the bathroom.

The rush of images and emotions had left him dizzy, all those memories being relived simultaneously made him feel like his head would explode. Dean closed his eyes against the pounding headache.

He shrugged it off and wandered out into the kitchen to find the others. Castiel was stood near the counter making sure Emmie didn't fall off

“Where's Sam? You haven't killed him have you?” joked Kathy with a knowing smirk, Dean rolled his eyes as he sat down at the table putting a hand to his head

“He went to the bathroom. Cas, baby, do we have any painkillers?” he asked. His head as was pounding and everything seemed to bright; memories were flashing before his eyes and Dean knew that he was fully melding with the Dean of this universe. This was the last stage and for one terrifying moment he thought he would loose himself completely but it passed and he came out on the other side as a whole Dean. Dean now had all memories from this universe and all the memories from the one he came from including all the training he had to become a hunter.

“Dean? Are you okay?” asked Castiel, Dean looked up to see Cas staring at him

“I...” he began but shook his head; he couldn't put it into words how he felt being here after loosing everything. Even with all the memories Dean had a feeling that sooner or later he'd mess everything up here like he did in the universe he came from. He _would not_ do that to them, he loved them all too much!

Dean plastered on a smile and held out his hand for Castiel. Cas came around the counter and took it

“I'm fine” he told his blue eyed boyfriend “I was thinking, since Sam and Jess haven't booked a hotel yet that maybe they could stay here in the guest bedroom”

“Yeah, that's a really good idea. Why don't we sort it all out after lunch... I made your favourite” Cas grinned before snagging one of the plates and setting it in front of Dean. He took a bit of the crunchy sandwich and closed his eyes, this was home.

TBC...


	6. Chapter Six

Years as a hunter, raised in the life since he was four years old had given him the best reflexes imaginable. So when he heard something shattering downstairs he was instantly alert; he thought that it might have been Kathy getting a drink of water but his instincts told him otherwise. Dean glanced at Castiel who was sound asleep, he shook his partner awake

“There's someone downstairs. I think it's a burglar” he told him, Cas's eyes went wide as he sat up “What I need you to do is get Emmie and take her into Sam and Jess's room and lock the door. I'm going downstairs”

“What? Are you crazy?!” Castiel gasped as Dean slid from the bed

“Kathy's down there. I'm not going to leave my baby sister down there for them to get at her”

“What if they've got a gun? Look, we should just call the cops!” protested Castiel grabbing Dean's forearm roughly

“That's what you're going to do. Once I know that you and Emmie are safe then I'll go down and get Kathy. Don't worry, I'll be fine... now go” Dean ordered him. Castiel tossed by the covers and the two of them headed out of the room. Cas headed down the hall to their daughter's room while Dean headed down the stairs.

It was quiet in the main hallway and a small part of Dean thought that he may have dreamt up the sound of breaking glass but then he heard something shift in the kitchen and he knew instantly that there was someone in there. Dean slipped into the living room, moving so fast that it only took a second to open and close the door softly behind him.

His youngest sibling, and only sister, was fast asleep on the couch snuggled up underneath all the blankets he'd brought down earlier. Dean crept over to her, crouched down and put his hand over her mouth. Kathy snapped awake with wide terrified eyes, she looked relieved when she saw Dean

“Be quiet. Someone has broken in and they're in the kitchen” he told her after shhh'ing her, that scared look came back but he pulled his hand away “In a minute I'm going to open the door and I'm going to make sure that nothing gets you. I want you to go up the stairs to the first door on the right. Cas and the others are in there, you are to stay in there until help arrives. _Everyone_ is to stay there” he explained. She looked ready to argue but in the end just nodded.

Dean ushered his sister to the living room door, checked the coast was clear before dragging her along the hall and to the stairs. He didn't even have to shout go before she was racing up the stairs on her hands and feet. He stayed there until he heard the guest room door open and close then he marched towards the kitchen.

The door was cracked open but he couldn't see through the darkness, which gave him good odds, he pushed the door open but no one came running at him. Dean moved forward slowly expecting to be attacked at any second

“Heh” he heard a croak pain filled voice “Dean, I was wondering when you were going to get your ass in here”

Dean turned on the light and saw someone beaten almost beyond recognition lying amidst broken glass and blood. The glass was from the large mirror he'd seen the trickster in

“Who are you?”

“Figure it out, genius” coughed the boy, his form flittered like static on a TV screen. Dean was looking at the trickster, he sat down on the floor away from the glass

“Why are you here? I thought you didn't want to come to this universe” the hunter pointed out. The trickster's form waved until it stayed on a little boy about seven or eight years old

“I-I didn't” croaked the trickster before reaching out a bloody and mangled hand “Please, Dean, I don't want to die alone”

Dean lifted the young trickster up off the glass and held him in his arms like he used to do when Sammy was a baby

“Who did this to you?” he whispered, the kid was dying and from injuries that didn't make sense. There was only one way to kill a trickster and this certainly wasn't it

“Other creatures that go bump in the night” the trickster confessed, more blood dribbled out of his mouth and tears filled his eyes “I should never have done this, I should have just killed you”

“Oh gee, thanks!” Dean snapped but he didn't push the kid away

“It wasn't about... y-your happiness” stuttered the trickster as he coughed violently “I wanted to prove that I was better than you. I did what my sister would have done!”

“She would have given me happiness even if I'd take hers away” Dean stated softly to himself as he realised just how big a monster he become in that other universe.

“Others figured it out, I was tortured and when they learnt that there's a world with no magic...”

“But I thought you said that magic didn't exist here” he protested, the trickster smiled up at Dean and touched his cheek with that bloodied hand

“It does now that you're here. That's why it's my fault... I didn't think that _this_ would happen” he replied, his voice was hoarse now and he knew it wouldn't be much longer “The magic is bleeding over here because of you”

“Me? Would it stop if I went back?!” demanded Dean suddenly terrified of all those evil sons of bitches coming into this universe and not being ready for them.

“No, I'm sorry Dean. That door is open now... I'm sorry for what I did” the trickster whispered finally before his hand dropped away from Dean's cheek leaving a dirty smear.

Dean lost track of how long he sat there holding the body of the young trickster, it was only when someone appeared in his vision that did he finally break out of his reverie. There was a EMT crouching in front of him and Castiel was stood near the kitchen door with his arms wrapped around himself

“Sir, sir can you hear me?”

“Y-Yeah...” nodded Dean. Another paramedic came forward and Dean let go of the young trickster to his care even though that time had come and gone.

“Sir, can you tell me your name?” the female paramedic was persistent “What happened? Are you injured”

“Me? My name's Dean and I um... no, I'm not hurt” Dean's voice was thick, his tongue heavy and stuck to the roof of his mouth. Everything that he'd ever hunted, every evil creature that had walked the world in his universe knew where he was and they were coming to get him. They were coming and they were bringing the magic and the darkness with them. And he blamed himself.

“I think it's best if we take you to the hospital, just to be safe” she smiled but Dean shook his head

“I'm fine. I don't need to go to a hospital...”

“But sir...”

“No hospitals!” he practically growled. He pushed her away and stood up, dizziness hit him and he collapsed back against the wall for balance

“Dean...” Cas took a step forward to help his partner but Dean shook his head, a guilty look plastered onto the hunter's face

“I'm sorry, Cas. I shouldn't have...” Dean licked his lips and looked away as he blinked back the tears

The paramedics were packing their equipment away since their patient refused their help and the detective in charge stepped forward

“I'm Agent Hendrickson, I'd like to ask you a few questions” Dean's eyes went wide when he saw the man standing there in front of him. Hendrickson had hunted him for months before he was killed by a demon; he'd been another innocent caught in the crossfire and to see him standing there alive and well was almost too much for Dean to take.

“You're not asking him anything without me present” snapped Sam bounding in like a large moose, Hendrickson turned on Sam coldly

“And who are you?”

“His lawyer” replied Sam. Hendrickson just smirked before turning his attention back to Dean who was still leaning against the wall with Castiel hovering near by

“Tell me Dean, do you always have your lawyer staying over when a kid dies in your house?”

“Sam's my brother... it was a family reunion and the kid... I don't know how he got in here and I don't know why he died. I thought someone was breaking in, I came down to check and found him in my kitchen. I-I stayed with him until he died...” Dean looked away. It was always hardest when he lost an innocent so young.

“How noble of you” Hendrickson quipped like he didn't believe a word that came out of Dean's mouth.

“I know you don't believe me. I don't really care that you don't believe me... that kid died and I'm covered in his blood and I have no clue why. Why don't you catch the son of a bitch that did all that to him? Instead of hounding me?”

“I'll be keeping my eye on you. Don't leave town, Mr Winchester” he turned and left the crime scene detectives to do their job. Dean stood up properly but sank back against the wall, he was swaying on his feet and the part of him from this reality was freaking out.

One of the detectives took Dean's clothes for evidence, Castiel had to help him up the stairs since he was in shock and close to loosing it. Castiel was sitting on the bed waiting for his partner to come out. Kathy had kindly put Emmie to bed and Sam had gone with the cops to sort things out down at the station. Jess and Kathy were rooming together for safety while Sam was at the police station.

Dean came out of the bathroom with a towel slung around his neck and his pants riding low; if there hadn't been the seriousness of the situation Castiel would have pounced on him.

“We need to talk” Castiel declared as Dean came near the bed, he couldn't help himself. He had to know! “Did you kill that kid?”

Dean's face fell and he quickly moved away from his partner in disbelief.

“What?! No!”

“I'm sorry, Dean, but I had to know” Castiel held his hands out, pleading for Dean to believe him. Dean sank back down on the bed, resting his elbows on his knees in defeat; he had no idea what to do next. All he wanted to do was tell Castiel to get Emmie and get as far away from him as possible.

“You're right, it's okay. I'd want to know too, in your shoes” he stated. Dean sighed as he rubbed the towel over his short hair before he threw it in the laundry basket

“Why did you apologise to me then?” Castiel questioned him, the other man blinked in surprise

“What?”

“Before when...” he trailed off with a shake of his head “You said that you were sorry and you shouldn't have. Shouldn't have what Dean?”

“I shouldn't have put you in danger. Everything is going to change and it's all my fault”

“You didn't put me in danger, it's not like we've never been burglared before; you need to stop blaming yourself” smiled Cas as he reached out and stroked the side of Dean's head

“But...”

“But nothing” he interrupted Dean before he could get going “Come lay down, it's okay”

Cas scooted up the bed and held his arms open for Dean. Dean bit his lip but did as he'd been asked, he lay down with his head pillowed over his boyfriend's chest and let himself drift off.

_Dean opened his eyes to a hazy smoke filled room, he could hear laughing and it filled his gut with the cold heavy weight of dread. He looked round but this wasn't his bedroom... well it was and it wasn't. He was back in the bedroom he'd had when he was four years old; before the fire had destroyed their home._

“ _Dad? Where are you? I can't see you!” he shouted, thick smoke filled his lungs as soon as he opened his mouth and he coughed. Then he smelt the same sickeningly sweet, acrid taste of barbaque “Mom! Sammy!”_

_He raced out of his childhood bedroom and down the hall to Sammy's nursery, the flames were hotter and he felt his hair singe. He half expected to see his mom pinned to the ceiling like last time, just a brief glance before his dad scooped him up and carried him out of the house. But it wasn't his mom... it was Castiel and the little child burning wasn't Sammy. It was Emmie_

“ _Cas! Emmie! No! Nooo!” he yelled then he saw Yellow Eyes standing there with that same shit eating grin on his face “You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!”_

“ _We'll be coming for you next, Dean-o” chuckled Yellow Eyes and then he was being dragged from the house._

“ _Dad! No! It's him! Let me go! He's killing them! Cas! Castiel! Emelia! Nooo!” he fought against his father but John was too strong and he managed to get him outside the house. As soon as they got outside everything fell silent. Dean turned round and saw every evil supernatural son of a bitch he'd ganked standing there; all of them looked normal and human but then they slowly transformed into the monsters he recognised. Right in front of them was the trickster, covered in blood exactly like the last time he'd seen him_

“ _Dean... people change. The magic will infect them... kill them. Kill them all” said the trickster then he smiled “Before they kill your family”_

Dean jerked up in a cold sweat, it took him a moment to catch his breathe and then he screamed, the memory of the dream had gripped him tight and he turned looking for Castiel. The other side of the bed was empty and cold

“Cas?!” he jumped from the bed, racing from the room to find his boyfriend. Dean made it as far as the top of the stairs before he found Castiel; he was racing up the stairs from the open front door “I thought... I thought and then you weren't there. They got you... he burned you...” he mumbled into Cas's dark hair

“It's okay, I'm here. It was just a dream, baby... just a really bad dream” he replied, soothing away the fear Dean was feeling

“Where's Emmie? And Sammy? Where are they?” he demanded, pulling away from Castiel to jog down the last few steps. Dean came to a stop when he saw Hendrickson standing there

“Hello, Dean” Hendrickson greeted him but Dean ignored him

“Cas! Where are they?”

“Sam, Jess and Kathy took Emmie to the museum. I didn't want her in the house with the...” he trailed off as he nodded to the kitchen door that was still sporting the police crime scene tape.

“Get them to bring her back!” he demanded. Hendrickson stepped into the hallway

“Dean, I need to ask you a couple of questions”

“Not now!” snapped Dean as he rounded on the detective

“Yes now. Or do you want to come down to the station?” he hissed angrily. Dean invaded the smaller man's space and Hendrickson felt the fear creeping up on him

“I don't care if you arrest me, I'm not going anywhere until I know my daughter is safe” sneered the Hunter “She's my little girl, do you get that? If anything happens to her... I'll kill you myself”

“Dean! Stop it!” yelled Castiel “She's with your brother and sister, they wouldn't let anything happen to her”

“God, you don't even know...” quipped Dean as he rolled his eyes “Just get them back here”

“Fine” Castiel pulled out his phone and wandered off into the living room.

“Are you always so demanding and controlling?” Dean glared at Hendrickson but gestured for him to come in

“If it's to protect my family, then yes I am” he answered easily. He led the way into the living room just in time to see Castiel get off the phone.

“They're on their way back” he told his partner “Later on, you're going to explain to me exactly what the hell you were doing treating me like that”

“I will. I promise, I'll explain everything but right now... the good detective has some questions he _has_ to ask. Ask away” Dean waved his hand before he flopped down on the couch next to Cas. Hendrickson slowly and methodically pulled out a little notepad and flipped through the pages

“Does the name Thomas Frazier mean anything to you?” he asked both of them. Dean scowled and shook his head

“No. Never heard it before, was... was it the kid?”

“Well it was and it wasn't. That's why I'm here, I'm trying to find out who that poor little boy, who you murdered in cold blood, was”

“I didn't kill him” whispered Dean “When I got to the kitchen he was already beat up. He knew he was dying... said he didn't want to die alone. I pulled him off the broken glass and held him, no kid should die alone”

“Wait, was that his name?” Castiel inquired, speaking up suddenly “Thomas Frazier?”

“That's what his dental records said but when we went round to the Frazier homestead and told his mother that we'd found her son and she had to ID the body she bounded up the stairs to little Thomas's room. Thomas was alive and well in his little bed”

“I don't understand, was it that boy or wasn't it?”

“It wasn't Thomas Frazier but his dental work was an exact match. Now how do you suppose that was, Dean?”

“How should I know? I'm not a dentist”

“I'm getting sick of your blasé answers. Stop giving me the run around and just tell me what I want to know!”

“Why? So you can pin it on me? I didn't kill him, why are you wasting both our time and go after the guy who really did it before he does it again?”

“Is that a threat? Are you planning to kill again, Dean?” Hendrickson was beginning to get cocky, his gut feeling was that Dean Winchester was behind the little boys' death and he was going to make sure that he was held accountable

“Get out of our house” yelled Dean, he'd had enough and now all he wanted was the damn stupid pig gone.

“Alright, I'm going. But I'll be back... I'm going to find out how you did it and when I do I'm gonna make sure you end up in chains”

Dean followed Hendrickson to the door, squashing down the urge to beat on the idiot cop's ass until he couldn't walk. He shut the door and sighed with relief thankful that he was gone.

Leaning on the door, Dean looked up and saw Castiel standing in the hallway with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face

“Care to tell me what the hell is going on?” he was all but tapping his foot. Dean rubbed a hand over his face

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you” he offered the shorter man, making Castiel scowl

“Don't! Don't give me that bullshit, you said you'd tell me. So help me God, if you don't then I'm taking Emmie and we're going to my sister's!”

“Alright, alright. Sheesh!” Dean rolled his eyes “Just don't leave, I don't want to loose either of you”

“Well then... spill” Castiel unfolded his arms and planted one hand firmly on his hip

“Come sit down” said Dean as he hung his head and slowly made his way into the living room. Castiel followed and joined the taller man on the couch “I knew the kid”

“Wha... then why didn't you tell the police?!”

“Please, Cas, just let me talk. This is going to be hard to explain and even harder for you to believe... but I promise you. Everything I'm going to tell you now is the truth”

Castiel looked hard at his boyfriend and saw that he was being honest about this secret; and that he appeared scared as hell.

“Okay” he nodded finally. Dean sucked in a shaky breathe for courage and began

“The kid was a trickster. It's a creature, a demi-god, that can pretty much do anything it likes. This particular trickster, before he came after me, sent me here. He sent me here from another reality where magic and the supernatural exists; in that reality I was a Hunter. One of many people living a life aimed at hunting things and saving people... society didn't know that there were things that went bump in the night until some poor bastard or some unlucky family got caught in the crossfire. The ones... the families that loose...” he trailed off, his eyes glassy and unfocused “The survivors usually become Hunters”

“Who? Who did you loose?”

“You believe me?” gasped Dean

“Honestly? I think all this is insane but I know you, I know you're not lying to me”

“It was my mom and Sammy. A demon killed them; son of a bitch pinned my mom to the ceiling and cut her open right over Sammy's crib. He was only six months old when he died... I was four and my dad swore revenge. It was just me and him until the Demon took him too... I've killed a lot of monsters, saved a hell of a lot of lives doing it. But it all caught up with me”

“What happened?” Cas's blue eyes were sparkling. He hated to see Dean in so much pain; family was everything to Dean and Castiel could see that those memories were agony.

“I killed the trickster's sister so he sent me here. Merged the Dean from the reality I come from with the Dean of this reality. I remember all the training my dad put me through, learning the rituale romanum... how to gank ghosts and poltergeists but then I remember everything from here as well. I remember you” Dean cupped Castiel's face “I remember the first night we spent together and how your hair stuck up after we'd both slept on that stupid single bed in my dorm”

“And your roommate walked in on us making out...” smiled Cas as he laid his hand over Dean's “I want to believe you but this all seems so crazy”

“I know and I wish that was just it. Everything would be okay if it was just me but the trickster... the reason he came here was to warn me; the magic is bleeding through into this world because of me. I don't know how but all those monsters and demons will be able to come here! There aren't any hunters in this reality, no one will know how dangerous these things can be”

Castiel opened his mouth to say something but was cut off when he heard the front door opening and Emmie came rushing into the house. Dean and Castiel pulled away from each other as she ran into the living room

“Dadda! Pappa! You's never guess wot we'd seen at da museum!” she bounded in, jumping up onto Castiel's lap.

“What did you see, princess?”

“Dinosaurs!” she grinned as she held up a toy T-Rex “Uncle Sammy boughts me a dinosaur!”

“That was really nice of him. Did you say thank you?” Castiel asked her and she blushed. Sam and Jess came in and sat down on the other couch under the window

“Emmie's amazing” Jess announced

“Where's Kathy?” Dean demanded when there was a distinct lack of baby sister

“She went home after the museum” replied Sam “Why did you want us back? Is there a development in the case?”

“Hendrickson stopped by” Cas explained, Emmie was busy walking the dinosaur up her papa's arm to bite at his neck. Sam scowled at the couple before glancing at his fiancee

“Please tell me you didn't talk to him. Either of you...” Sam begged then, when neither of them answered he jumped to his feet “Seriously?! Do you have a desire to end behind bars, Dean?”

“No... Look, can we not talk about this now?” asked Dean, nodding his head at Emmie. Sam sighed and shook his head

“Fine. Just promise me that you won't go talking to any cops unless I'm there to defend you”

“Promise” Dean nodded agreeing to what Sam said without thought. Cas plastered on a smile and hefted Emmie up in his arms; he was still reeling from what Dean had told him and doubt was setting in.

TBC...


End file.
